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Stojakovic Shines as Illinois Advances to Sweet 16

3/23/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Andrej Stojakovic, the Illinois Fighting Illini guard, led his team to a 76-55 victory over VCU, advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Stojakovic scored a game-high 21 points, including a 9-0 run before halftime that shifted momentum.
Illinois' defense held VCU to 35% shooting and limited their free-throw attempts.
Illinois will face No. 2 seed Houston next.

History

Historical Context

The 1985 NCAA Tournament was historic as Villanova, an eighth seed, defeated top-ranked Georgetown 66-64 on April 1, marking the first championship in the 64-team format. Villanova's remarkable shooting performance, with a record 78.6% accuracy, remains unmatched. This upset reshaped perceptions of tournament dynamics, highlighting the potential for lower-seeded teams to achieve greatness, as seen in Illinois' recent success.

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Story summary

Andrej Stojakovic, the Illinois Fighting Illini guard, led his team to a 76-55 victory over VCU, advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Stojakovic scored a game-high 21 points, including a 9-0 run before halftime that shifted momentum.
Illinois' defense held VCU to 35% shooting and limited their free-throw attempts.
Illinois will face No. 2 seed Houston next.

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